Curtain and shade support



Nov. 2, 1948. R. E. RATCLIFFE 2,452,680

CURTAIN AND SHADE SUPPORT Filed Nov. 25, 1944 v I 2 Sheets-Sheet l 1948-R. E. RATCLIFFE 2,452,680

CURTAIN AND SHADE SUPPORT Filed NOV. 25, 1944 I I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 /P,5, m4 Ta IFFE Patented Nov. 2, 1948 E UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICECURTAIN D SHAPE SUPPORT Robert E. Ratcliffe, Dallas, Tex.

Application November 25, 1944, Serial No. 565,088

1 This invention relates to a combined curtain and shade support and itis one object of this invention to provide a support consisting of amain bracket adapted to be mounted against a window casement or frame,and an auxiliary bracket carried by the main bracket and extendingupwardly therefrom, said brackets being 1 formed of plastic,metaLor'other suitable material, by moulding, extruding, casting, or inany other suitable manner and of such formation that the Another objectof the invention is to so form the seat for the fiat curtain rod thatwhen the rod is fitted within the seat it may be firmly held therein.

Another object of the invention is to so form the main bracket thatVenetian blinds may be suspended between them.

Another object of the invention is to provide a main bracket so formedthat its rear end portion may fit within the upper portion of a trackfor the lower sash and have associated with it a bracket for mounting ashade roller.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanyin drawings, wherein;

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the improved curtain and shadesupport mounted upon a window frame,

Fig. 2 is a view showing the upper portion of the window frame invertical section and the improved curtain and shade support in sideelevation.

Fig. 3 is a view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 4--4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view on the line 55 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the auxiliary bracket. J

Fig. '7 is a perspective view of the main bracket.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing the auxiliary bracket applied tothe main bracket.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the auxiliary bracket with a fiatcurtain rod applied thereto.

Fig. 10 is a perspective view showing a portion of the auxiliary bracketwith a flat curtain rod mounted in another position.

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of a bracket for carrying a shade roller.

This improved curtain and shade support is used for supporting shaderollers, Venetian '2 Claims. (Cl. 248-252) blinds, and various types ofcurtain poles and rods across the upper portion of a window frame F, thesupports being mounted at opposite sides of the frame, as shown in Fig.l. The supports are of duplicate construction and each includes a mainbracket l' and an auxiliary bracket!- detachably applied to the mainbracket, the main bracket also having associated with it a bracket 3 forcarrying a shade roller. The brackets are preferably formed of plasticbut it will be understood that metal or other materials found suitablemay be used and that the bracketsm'ay b'e formedby moulding, extruding,casting or in any other practical manner.

The main bracket hasla shank 4 which has its rear portion bentlaterally, as shown at'5,

to provide an offset rear end 6 formed'with openings l to receivesecuring screws 8 by means of which this "attaching portion 6 is firmlys'e cured in the track 9 for the inner sash of the window. An arm [0'projects transversely from the frontend of the shank for extendingacross the adjacent side'portion of the frame F. A tongue I I is spacedforwardly from the arm 10 "iii substantially parallel relation theretoand, at its outerend, is connected with the arnrby an nd bar iz'earrymga'boss I3 formed with a bore I4, through which the shank of a bracketfor carryingfovrdraperies may be mounted. There has also been'provided aweb 15 extending between the arm and the tongue in spaced relation tothe end member l2 and constituting a wall for a socket IE to receive thelower end of the auxiliary bracket 2 and removably mount the auxiliarybracket in upright position over the outer end of the main bracket.

The auxiliary bracket 2 is also formed of plastic or other suitablematerial and has a shank H, the lower end of which is formed With a U-shaped foot I 8 of such dimensions that it fits snugly into the socketl6 of the companion main bracket. A tongue l9 extends from the free armof the foot for resting upon the portion of the arm In which forms therear arm of the socket l6 and opposite this tongue the shank carries arib 2D for resting upon the front wall of the socket. The tongue and therib will serve very effectively to limit downward movement of the footl8 into the socket l6 and also to prevent the auxiliary bracket fromtilting forwardly or rearwardly out of a perpendicular position. Sincethe material at the bottom of the foot is comparatively thick the footwill not be liable to be broken. At its upper end, the shank terminatesin a forwardly curved bill 2! and in spaced relation to its upper end,the shank carries a forwardly extending upwardly curved arm 22 whichcooperates with the upper portion of the shank to form a head havingfront and rear forks and adapted to receive a curtain pole 23 andremovably support the pole across the window frame.

The arm or front fork 22 terminates in fingers 24 terminating inrearwardly bent ends 25 for engaging across the pole 23, and through thebent ends or. the fingers: are "formedopenings 26 throughWhich the"shank of a hook 21 'may be passed, as shown in Fig. 8, to engage thepole and assist in preventing accidental dislodgement of the pole. Thehook 21 serves as'zacarrier for a ring 28 which serves as an anchor fora curtain and the hook will serve to prevent accidental-dislodgement ofa fiat curtain rod-'29-snapped into place between the fingers andsupported across the window frame, as shown in Fig. 9. '-Instead ofmounting the flat extensible curtain rod 29 between the fingers 24, itmay be mounted-under the' fork 22 and rest upon a bill- 30 where it:will

betgripped by the bill'and the fork or arm and firmly held in place.Referring again to Fig. 8, -it-will be seen that the flat curtain rod 29may be. mounted between the tongues ll of the two brackets with thetongues wedged into ends of therods, as shown inFig. 3, where the-rod isindicated by dotted lines and the tapered tongue .shown wedged into therod.

.Thebracketd for mountinga shade. roller is disposed in theuppenpor-tion of the track 8 for the inner or lower window sash and has-a head or body 3| formed with transverse ribs 32 defining a seat 33 toreceive the rear. end portion 6 of the main bracket. Openings 34 areformed in the head 31 to register with the openings I and. accommodatethe screws 8 so that the screws serve to secure the bracket 3 as well asthe mainbracket .l; -A tongue 35-projects downwardly from the 1-bodyportion of thebracket 3 and, at its lower Z end,.carries a-soCket-BBformedvrith an opening 31 whichmay be circular, as shown in Fig. 11,

-to receivethe-pintle of a shade roller, or rectangular in order toreceive the keyior the spring of the roller.

Iii-addition to serving as supports-for window shades and curtain rodsor poles,- the brackets may also serve as means .for --mounting Venetianblinds, such use-being illustrated-inFig. 8, where the head bar 38 ofVeneprising a main bracket adapted to be secured to a -window frame andprovided with a socket open at upper and lower ends, and an auxiliarybracket 'over the' main bracket including a vertical shank having itslower-end removably engaged in said socket, front and rear forks carriedby said shank and" curved towards each other for fitting about thecurtain pole, and one fork terminating in innerand outer fingers formedwith openings 'fOI' --receiving a fastener to hold a curtain r-od'between the fingers and projecting from the inner 'finger 'to engage acurtainpole and hold the same between the forks.

1 2..A support of the character described comprising a main bracketadapted to be secured to .a-window frame-and provided with a socket openatupper-an-d lower ends, and an auxiliary bracket over the mainbracketincluding a vertical shank having its lower end removably engaged insaid :socket, forks carried by said shank for receiving a curtain pole,said forks having-upper portions curved toward each other. and abill-projecting forwardly rand upwardly from saidshank under one forkand cooperating therewith for holding a curtain rod. 1

ROBERT E. -RATCLIFFE.

" file of i thispatent:

' UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 506,301 Bonney Oct) 10, 1893506,346 Stearns Oct." 10, 1893 542510 Williams July 9,1895

Ratcliffe Mar. 4, 1941

